Some Questions and Thoughts from a Beginner

Hi everyone, I'm new here and very new to the world of fragrance.
I have a few questions for you guys to start me off:

Is Amazon ever a reputable place to buy fragrances?
From what I've read here, I know StrawberryNet and LuckyScent are pretty good, but if I need something cheap, Amazon seems to have super-low prices.
Sometimes though, the prices at Amazon are scary low. Like, $8.99 for a bottle of Bvlgari Black. ($26.99 for 1.3oz, but still, that's too cheap) Is this normal? Are these colognes authentic?http://www.amazon.com/Bvlgari-Black/...ef=pd_sim_bt_6

How long do fragrances usually last?
I'm not talking about during the day, but how long will the entire bottle last you? A 1.7oz (50mL) bottle of Acqua Di Gio lasted me a bit over a year – and that's the only cologne I owned, so I wore it daily.

Is LuckyScent more high-end than StrawberryNet?
It seems like LuckyScent doesn't carry any of the cheaper designer brands of fragrance (Armani, Bvlgari, etc.) And StrawberryNet doesn't carry any of the expensive, exclusive brands LuckyScent has (like Nasomatto). Is this a correct assumption?

Anyway, thanks for any help answering my questions. I've ordered two samples from LuckyScent to get me started with fragrances – Hilde Soliani's Bell’Antonio, and Nasomatto's Duro. Maybe not the two most accessible fragrances, but I wanted to try something totally different from anything I've encountered before. Were these bad choices for a beginner?

Re: Some Questions and Thoughts from a Beginner

Welcome to Basenotes, Hal!

That Amazon listing is sold by BeautyEncounter-- which has a good reputation here.

How long a bottle lasts depends on how many bottles one owns and how much one sprays on. If 50 ml lasted you over a year, worn daily, and you only had that one bottle, then I would say you are a light user!

Luckyscent does carry a lot of niche fragrances, which tend to be more expensive than designer fragrances.

Re: Some Questions and Thoughts from a Beginner

Etailers can have clearance itms or sales that drop their prices.
Now your Amazon link is to a different listing, for a bottle sold by "perfume paradise"-- I never heard of them. Always check to see who the actual seller is.

Re: Some Questions and Thoughts from a Beginner

Originally Posted by Hal

Hi everyone, I'm new here and very new to the world of fragrance.

Welcome!

Originally Posted by Hal

Is Amazon ever a reputable place to buy fragrances?

Amazon sells items both directly from their warehouses & allows third-party sellers to sell items on the Amazon Marketplace. When you mouseover a size of fragrance you'll see directly below the text changes to "In Stock. Ships from and sold by _____". This will tell you who you're buying from. I wouldn't hesitate to buy directly from Amazon. You're always covered by Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee, which is similar to PayPal's protection & dispute process. I've never had to use it when purchasing fragrances, but have used it for other items & they've been very helpful in recovering my money from unscrupulous sellers. Amazon has a rating system for their marketplace sellers so make certain you check to see what others' experience has been. Finally, you can always use the search function to see what other registered members are saying about a retailer or visit the Internet Shopping and City Shopping Guides Forum where there's often an easily accessible thread on one retailer or the other.

Re: Some Questions and Thoughts from a Beginner

Have you tried www.theperfumedcourt.com for samples? Also decants. I, too, like Luckyscents. Amazon is a reputable etailer-they'll take back anything you have a problem with(even refund your s&h if there is a problem like damage, defective quality, etc.) Keep in eye out for favorite fragrances at discount department stores like Marshall's and TJMaxx. Even K-mart's website has a surprisingly large fragrance selection with periodic sales. Happy hunting!

Re: Some Questions and Thoughts from a Beginner

Thanks everyone for your answers. I'll definitely be using theperfumedcourt.com for decants in the future, since I don't wear cologne heavily and a small amount can last me a long time.

I thought I'd come back with some feedback on one of the samples I got, Nasomatto's Duro. It's like nothing I've ever smelled before. I can't really describe it as I have nothing to compare it to. It's a new scent for me. Although Duro probably isn't a scent for someone under 20, I enjoy it.
And honestly, the Nasomatto's bottles are just beautiful. That's what drew me to them. Even though the bottle's design totally has no bearing on the quality of the juice, I feel that a company that cares enough to design a beautiful bottle (and I think Nasomatto's win the prize) probably cared enough to develop a good quality fragrance as well.

I also got a sample of Bvlgari Black. It seems overpoweringly vanilla and sweet, although it's still a pleasing scent. I didn't detect the tire/rubber note that I've read about, so that was disappointing.